The World, the Universe
by RoibenRavus
Summary: COMPLETE: The prophecy has changed, and foretells either Harry's death or that of the world. Who will see him through? Features Rebel!Harry, Angsty!Harry, and DH SLASH


I remember when I hated him.

The entire five years that I had known him, I had resented him. We were not alike – he ignored his popularity; I revelled in mine. He unconsciously demanded attention; I went out of my way to be noticed. He hated the spotlight; I lived for it. It enraged me. I worked so hard and he was still better, still more loved.

I remember when hate turned to fascination.

Sixth year was different. He gave up on modesty and abandoned his sycophants. He let loose in ways I had only dreamed of. He became a poster boy for teenage delinquency instead of for saint-hood. He let go. How I wished to be able to do that.

He cut class, sometimes just walked out in the middle of lectures. When he was in class, he sat staring out the window, with his eyes glazed over as he twiddled a quill through his fingers. Still, he answered any questions during class superbly, irritating the teachers to a huge degree. He accepted reprimands and detentions, whether fair (McGonagall) or not (Snape), with a condescending smile and a mocking shrug.

He dated. Males, females, all blood types, ages, colours, Houses. Never did these 'relationships' last more than a week, but all were ended happily with the couple remaining friends.

He wore contacts.

He smoked.

He drank.

He got piercings. A sleeper in his eyebrow, two or three sets in his ears, and a stud through the front of his bottom lip.

He was rumoured to have gotten a tattoo. When asked, he smirked wickedly and kissed the asker to silence her. Ginny Weasley walked around in a daze for a week. She engendered looks of awe and of anger.

He abandoned the Trio, and flitted from group to group with free abandon, never sitting with the same people twice in a row. He even sat at the Slytherin table, next to the Bloody Baron and was almost unbearably polite to all around him.

His friends despaired.

His teachers deplored.

His headmaster twinkled.

And I... I watched.

Fascinated.

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I watched this new and improved Golden Boy.

I tried to figure him out.

I wrote a list of questions and I answered them.

Too many I don't knows.

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Every moment was filled with thoughts of him. From September to Christmas I watched him, thought of him, dreamed of him. He was my obsession.

Anger.

Fascination.

Obsession.

With the Boy Who Lived.

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It changed on Christmas Eve. The Weasleys and Granger went home.

My Harry stayed.

So did I.

I was watching him on Christmas Eve. He was sitting in T-shirt and jeans in the snow, watching students play by the frozen lake.

An icy wind passed us. I, in my four jumpers and cloak, felt it and shivered. He closed his eyes and a look of relief passed over his features.

He called to me. He used my first name. It was delicious. I shivered again.

I wondered how he knew I was there. I wondered how long he'd known for.

I went to him without question or hesitation.

It didn't matter. I didn't want to hide anymore.

He pulled out his cigs and offered them to me. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Harry, those are muggle cigs. People _die _from those."

He smirked at me and whispered "Scared?"

I whispered back "You wish." We smiled. Together. For once there was no bravado, no animosity, no pride. Just us.

I took two cigs and put one behind my ear. I lit the other.

We watched and smoked peacefully together. I felt the freeze-burn of snow at my waistline and smiled. Lovely.

Harry broke the silence. "What do you see?"

He was solemn, deadly serious, as if our relationship or lack thereof hinged on my answer.

I took my time, surveying the lake. I answered truthfully. "Small, harmless lives. Distance."

I looked at him, expecting to see mockery. Instead he looked thoughtful.

"What do you see, Potter?" I bit out, suddenly defensive. "Beauty and perfection and all that crap, huh?"

He looked at me with a small smile and simply said, "No."

I felt my anger drain away slowly and I lay back onto the snow.

A while later he lay down beside me and again broke the silence.

"The insignificance of our lives is wondrous. The unconditional continuity of the universe. _That's_ beauty."

I considered this for a long time. Finally I answered.

"Agreed. No matter what we do, the world keeps turning. The universe keeps going. It's comforting. Beautiful."

We shared another small smile and sat in silence together until the sun set and we went in for dinner.

For seven hours I had sat with Harry Potter in near silence, at complete peace.

The world must have stopped turning.

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The next day I was woken by an owl. I gently took a small note from its leg, gave it a treat and sent it on its way.

It was from Harry. Inviting me to stay with him for Christmas. The universe collapsed. I got dressed in record speed, took up my presents and followed his directions.

He was waiting for me in front of the Room of Requirement.

He hadn't doubted that I would come.

I felt warm.

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We spent a happy morning. He was no longer yesterday's philosopher, but a new man. Vastly different to any Harry I'd ever met. I fell in love just a little bit.

That morning was filled with laughter and happiness.

What could have been.

What still could be.

We didn't mention Voldemort. We didn't mention Dumbledore. We didn't mention my father or his father or the Boy Who Lived or the Death Eater in Training.

We talked about us.

His favourite ice cream, my favourite food, his favourite song, my favourite book, his favourite sport, my favourite class.

We talked for hours. We learnt and we taught. We opened up for the first time ever. Free from restrictions. Free to sit in comfortable silence, or to play the most raucous of games.

I fell in love a lot.

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We spent the day there. One beautiful carefree day.

And that night we sat close to each other on the 'required' couch, in front of the 'required' fire, and spoke of our greatest desires, our greatest fears.

"The Dark"

"Betraying my parents"

"Letting people down"

"Losing people"

"Loving people"

"Losing you"

"Loving you"

"Needing you"

"Not needing you"

That night he kissed me. He pushed me down and lay beside me.

We faced each other.

His hands traced my face.

Mine traced him.

His eyes held mine.

Mine held his.

His lips touched mine.

I let him in.

He curled up against me.

I put my arms around him.

Hugged him.

Protected him.

Loved him.

We slept that night, together. I dreamt of flying.

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I woke up in the night to find him watching me. I smiled a sleepy smiled and stretched against him. He looked at me.

"I think I love you. I barely know you. I've known you for a day. I... I think I love you" He said it quietly.

I looked at him. When I did, everything calmed. Serenity flowed over me. Acceptance of whatever it was that would come.

"That's good," I replied. "I think I might too. Love you, that is. I mean, I want to be together. If ... if you'll have me. If you w-"

He cut me off with his mouth. I didn't mind. I looked into his eyes and saw a storm. I held him closer and we slept again.

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The next morning, we went to the Quidditch Pitch. We flew with gay abandon, whooping with laughter. After, we went to the kitchens, hand in hand. We shared a seat and ate some porridge to warm up.

I asked him, "Why did you change? If you don't tr- don't want to tell me, then I understand."

He looked into my eyes and said, "I'll tell you. I trust you."

My heart warmed yet again. He moved to the seat across from me. He spoke.

"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches... Born to those who thrice defy him, born as the seventh month dies... and the dark lord shall mark him as his equal... and this will be the downfall of both... at the dawn of the first day of the seventeenth year one chance will come... neither can live or the world will perish.. he will be born as the seventh month dies.. and will die in the month of the first..."

I stared at him.

He looked at me, tears welling in his eyes.

"A prophecy. Foretells my doom. Or, if not mine, that of the world."

Tears filled my own eyes for the first time in twelve years.

"I have to do this... Please, love, I have to... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have involved you but... I love you... I'm sorry... And now I have to leave you... Five days."

He continued whispering brokenly until I held my hand out to him. Shocked for a moment, he finally took it with relief and crushed it in his own. He drew me close to him, and I settled my self on his lap, tucking my head against his shoulder like a child.

"If you want-" He started to speak. His voice sounded dead.

I shook my head fiercely and looked at him in the eye. "No."

He started to protest but I took his face between my hands. I forced him to look me in the eye. My own tears started falling silently down my cheeks. His hadn't stopped.

"Listen to me. Our lives are small. The world will keep turning. The universe will exist. That is comforting. We have five days. In only three I have come to love you. We can find a lifetime in five days."

He nodded, relieved. I looked at him and my fingers rose to trace his peircings.

"So that's why..."

"It's my own mark. Mine."

I leant forward and kissed him hard. I bit into his lip and moaned as tangy blood mixed with salty tears.

I drew back and softly touched his lip. "And this is mine"

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For the next four days we didn't leave each others' sides. As I had promised, we found a lifetime in those days. We didn't talk about it again, but we spent every moment together, and it was always at the back of our minds.

We went to dinner together. I sat at his table. I ate left handed so that I could keep my arm around him.

We stayed each night together. Talking, kissing, loving, _being_. Hours on end, until we collapsed from tiredness, waking up only a few hours later and beginning the cycle again.

We squeezed every moment together, knowing that every second spent sleeping or apart meant one wasted.

We ignored multiple summonses from the Headmaster and my own Head of house.

We spent our days together, laughing and happy and free.

We loved each other.

We made a lifetime.

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Finally, New Years Eve came. We stayed up together on the twenty-ninth, counting the seconds to our last day together. And as we held each other I looked into his eyes. His soul.

My heart bled.

"I'll follow you," I promised. I blinked back tears.

"No." He said. I opened my mouth to protest but he stopped me. "Love. Stay. Fight. Finish it. Then come to me. Come to me and I'll be waiting."

I kissed him desperately.

We broke apart panting.

"You'll know," he continued. "You'll know here, in your heart. And with every heartbeat you know I'll be watching you. Loving you. Waiting for you."

I kissed him again and he moved on top of me.

It wasn't his first time, nor was it mine. But it was ours. And it was beautiful.

And when it was finished we clung together. Desperation compelled us even in sleep to not let go, and when I woke in the morning we were still twined together. And I knew, even then, that no matter what happened, in our lives and deaths, we would be together.

That afternoon we dressed to go to Order of the Pheonix Headquarters. Before we left what had become 'our room', Harry pulled me to the couch. He gave me a little bag and gestured for me to open it.

Two white gold rings fell out and I looked at him.

"I designed them the day after Christmas. I gave the designs and my Gringott's key to Dobby, and asked him to have them fashioned by tonight. They are, well, promise rings, I suppose."

He looked at me from under his lashes as I turned the rings over in my hands. They had identical thick bands that were inset with tiny white diamonds. On the inside there were inscriptions.

_The world, the universe._

I smiled at him. "Put mine on me?" I held out my left hand. He took it.

"I, Harry Potter, promise thee, Draco Malfoy, to wait for thee forever after I fulfil my duty. And as the world and universe are my witnesses, I will love thee forever."

He slid my ring onto my finger.

I took his hand.

"I, Draco Malfoy, promise thee, Harry Potter, to come to thee when I have fulfilled my own duty. And as the world and universe are my witnesses, I will love thee forever."

We sealed our pact with a kiss, then made our way to the Headmaster's office.

The Headmaster said nothing as we entered his office together. There was no twinkle in his eye tonight. With one eyebrow raised speculatively he eyed our joined hands, and the rings that flashed in the light. Then he took one glance at our determined faces and decided not to mention it.

He held out a wooden box and spoke in a rusty voice, "The portkey will activate in just one minute. Please be ready."

And as the old man placed his hand on my beloved's shoulder, I saw the love that the Headmaster felt for Harry and I smiled.

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My presence caused an uproar at Headquarters, but before Weasley (any of them) could launch themselves at me, Harry pulled me behind him and looked at each of the protestors in the eye. Slowly they quieted themselves as they took in our joined hands and Harry's protective stance.

"I trust him. Would any here deny my right to have the person I love beside me?"

He spoke with such presence that no one dared to cross him. The Weasleys looked suitably ashamed because, although they did not know what was to come, they knew that Harry deserved each and every bit of love he could accept. And he had accepted me.

Ron Weasley stepped forward and looked Harry in the eye. I felt Harry tense and waited for Weasley to begin a rant. Instead, he stepped past Harry and came to me, holding out his hand.

"Draco," he greeted me evenly.

"Ron," I replied, taking his hand. The room breathed a sigh of relief and then and there, all enmity between Ron Weasley and myself was forgotten.

I walked past Harry to Granger. I held out my own hand to her, initiating the contact, and spoke softly, "Hermione?" She took my hand lightly in her own and I bent and kissed her cheek.

It was amazing, the extent each of us went to for Harry. For our love.

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We shared an enjoyable feast, of laughter and happiness. Underneath the table, though, our hands were clenched so tightly that they were bloodless. I was terrified. Finally, at three minutes to midnight, Harry tapped his wineglass and rose. I held onto his hand desperately.

"I have a toast to make." His voice was quiet and yet silence dawned around the room. I wondered if he knew how these people loved him, respected him, come tonight just for him. Charlie Weasley from Romania, Bill Weasley from Egypt, Arthur and Molly and Fred and George and Ginny and Ron Weasley from the Burrow. The Grangers and Hermione from their home. McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick, Sprout, Hooch, Hestia Jones, Kingsley Shacklbolt, my own cousin Tonks, Remus Lupin, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Dodge, Mad-Eye Moody. And only myself, Dumbledore and Snape knew what was about to happen. This wasn't about Voldemort, it was all Harry.

"In three minutes," Harry's voice jerked me back to attention, "it will be a new year. A year that will mark the end of our war, the beginning of peace." He paused for the Weasley twins to quiet down.

"Tonight will be the beginning. Voldemort will fall. His Death Eaters will follow. And one day, not long from now, there will be no more dark." The room was silent, confused.

"My good friends," Harry's voice cracked just a little bit, "we have found our way. Our way to the future. Professors Dumbledore and Snape and I have found a way to defeat Voldemort once and for all. As many of you know, last year Sirius died protecting a prophecy. This is what it said.

"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches... Born to those who thrice defy him, born as the seventh month dies... and the dark lord shall mark him as his equal... and this will be the downfall of both... at the dawn of the first day of the seventeenth year one chance will come... neither can live or the world will perish.. he will be born as the seventh month dies.. and will die in the month of the first..."

The room was again silent as the Order processed this. A clock started to chime and I knew that our time was up. I stood up and held Harry close. Tears ran unchecked down my face. I whispered in his ear, "Wait for me," and kissed him desperately.

He handed me some parchment and spoke softly. "For the others."

He took my left hand and kissed my ring. He looked around at the Order as many finally comprehended and started to cry. He gave a small smile to them and a wink to Ron and Hermione. He turned to face Dumbledore. I moved behind him. Facing our Headmaster and his beloved mentor, and as the clock's final chime faded, Harry Potter turned his wand on himself and whispered quietly "Avada Kedavra".

A green light flashed and I caught his body as he fell.

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_Okay, up again on my own user! Oh yeah..._

_Cheers guys, even if you can't review/ don't want to review, knowing that you hit on it is great._

RoibenRavus


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